Member News

The turnkey robotic solution includes a number of ABB Robots, including the versatile IRB1200 and ABB’s flagship palletising robot, the IRB660. The system, designed and supplied by A&RT Systems, has streamlined the manufacturing, assembly and packaging of Décor’s products. Automating its manufacturing operations has enabled Décor to reduce costs while freeing up the production staff for more productive tasks. Rising demand Décor has been manufacturing plastic homewares products in Australia for more than 50 years. A homegrown success story, the company specialises in a breadth of homewares solutions that combine aesthetics, functionality, affordability and durability. From its base in Scoresby, Victoria, Décor manufactures an innovative range of plastic fridge containers enjoyed by customers around the world – from local department stores and supermarkets, to export outlets across Europe, America, India and Japan. With global demand rising for its fridge container range, Décor required a high-end robotic solution that was reliable and flexible enough to grow with…

Manufacturing is entering a new era of rapid, drastic change. Often described as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it will see advances in areas such as robotics & automation, the interconnectivity of devices, big data and Cloud computing, that together will usher in the smart, connected factory of the future. “We’re constantly hearing about stuff like Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things and so on, but a lot of people are still in the dark about what it all means,” says AMTIL’s CEO and Exhibition Director Shane Infanti. “That’s why we decided to introduce the Digitalisation Pavilion at Austech this year. We felt a show like Austech is a great opportunity to bring together some of the key players and the latest technology in this field, so that people can come along and find out about it first-hand.” At the Digitalisation Pavilion visitors will have the chance to learn about the implications of these developments for their businesses, and discuss how they can capitalise on…

This year’s black tie Gala Dinner and awards ceremony will be held on the opening night of Austech and National Manufacturing Week. To be hosted by Wade Noonan MP, State Minister for Industry and Employment, the dinner will feature fine Victorian food and beverages as well as fabulous entertainment and offers a great opportunity to network with other decision makers in the manufacturing sector. An initiative of the Victorian Government, the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame recognises exemplar companies and individuals. This year’s theme is Growing Advanced Manufacturing, which highlights the opportunities for innovation in Victorian manufacturing. Award categories include Young Manufacturer of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Company Induction and addition to the Honour Roll. Awards will also be given to companies operating in high-growth future industries sectors, such as medical technology and pharmaceuticals, transport, defence and construction technologies, food and fibre, new energy technologies, professional services and international education. Details of the 2017 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Gala Dinner are as follows: Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2017 Time: 7 pm to midnight Venue:…

ASGL has launched following the amalgamation of eight companies to form a fully vertically integrated model, listing on the stock exchange back in December last year. The new company is a consolidation of fleet and automotive businesses that specialise in the design, manufacture, distribution and retail of parts, accessories and performance technology for the 4WD/SUV market. Led by Chief Executive Officer Tanya Mason, and avid 4WD enthusiast, ASGL aims to be one-stop shop offering that caters to the growing number of 4WD enthusiasts and leisure travellers. It has become a real challenger and is positioned to become a significant player in the market. ASGL successfully raised its maximum subscription of $30m at $1 per share through its initial public offering (IPO), receiving strong support from institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, retail investors and major institutions Microequities and SG Hiscock. ASGL is well placed to take advantage of continuing growth in the 4WD/SUV market by expanding the portfolio…

The limitless exchange of manufacturing, product, and logistics data means it is now possible to make better decisions and experience complete transparency across the value chain. At the start of the process chain, this world of greater resource efficiency depends largely on the equipment that supplies this data: intelligent sensors. It is absolutely essential for sensor technology to be intelligent, rugged and reliable when it comes to dealing with challenges such as safe interaction between people and machines, high levels of variance, and fluctuating demand at short notice. Sensors provide the senses for machines. The feedback they provide is what makes intelligent machines possible. Sensor intelligence focuses on one aspect of sensor technology: equipping machines with the ability to see, recognise and communicate intelligently. Intelligent sensors contribute the ability to classify and interpret information. This is characterised by intelligent signal processing, which derives the truly relevant information from large quantities of data and makes it available. Therefore, in addition to primary control system for machines…

The company, which operates out of Sydney, Adelaide, Newcastle and Portland, concentrates on moving oversize and over-mass loads, including those that require sophisticated multi-articulated systems. “Our company focus is on the jobs that no one else wants to do, projects with complex and highly specialised requirements,” says Howard Andrews, the company’s engineering manager. What distinguishes Rex J Andrews is its capacity to design and manufacture equipment internally, allowing it to create a customised, innovative solution for even the most uniquely challenging problems. “We manufacture our equipment specific to a need. We might make a truck or a trailer even just to carry one item,” says Howard. With this capability, the company can “manage the logistics of any movement both here and to or from overseas.” Its services extend to managing storage, and operating cranes and lifting systems. According to Howard, the work the company prides itself on most is with renewable energy. Specialising in…

Australian manufacturing is enjoying its most positive outlook in years. The Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index has shown a trend of almost consistent growth since the last Austech two years ago, while signs of optimism abound throughout the industry. And this renewed confidence has been clear to see as preparations for Austech 2017 have advanced. The early interest from exhibitors, as well as the enthusiasm expressed by people planning to visit the show, have provided a vivid illustration of an energy and eagerness across the industry to invest and build for the future. “We’ve definitely seen a big surge in confidence this time round,” says AMTIL Event Manager and Austech organiser Kim Banks. “Bookings have been coming in a lot earlier than usual, to the point where we’re well on our way to filling the venue way ahead of schedule. What’s also very exciting is the number of exhibitors who are coming back to the show after not participating for the last few years. It’s…

Elphinstone – Antarctic export success Elphinstone Engineering has been servicing the transport industry since 1976. The company pioneered the installation of weighing systems in Australia and has revolutionised the logging transport industry with innovative design and technology. Elphinstone is a key supplier to mainland Australia and has developed export sales around the world, even including Antarctica. According to Elphinstone’s Production Manager Jason Cameron, the company serves a wide variety of sectors, including general transport, agriculture, mining, waste, heavy haulage, tippers, tankers and concrete mixers. It is also engaged in carious specialised industries including road stabilisation, explosives, silos and stationary scales. The company has more than 25 years in designing and manufacturing equipment suitable for Antarctic conditions and is a key supplier to the Australian Antarctic Division, having participated in three traverses of the continent to gain first-hand knowledge of the conditions. Its specialised Antarctic equipment includes a wide variety of…

Rigby Cooke Lawyers is a full service law firm providing commercial expertise and industry knowledge to private and public sector clients across Australia. With origins that can be traced back to the 1840s, we have earned our reputation of achieving success for – and with – our clients, by remaining adaptive to change. We do this by understanding each of our clients’ businesses and industry, and by staying at the forefront of changes in technology and legislation. This is because, above all else, we remain true to our mission, Our People: Your Success. Our lawyers are technically excellent in their areas of expertise; but more importantly for our clients, they are genuinely concerned with the application of the law in the ‘real world’ to get results. We are outcome-focused and commercially-minded – helping you achieve your goals in the most effective and efficient manner is our key objective. We can work with you by providing full-service ongoing support for all your commercial and private needs or by offering specialty expertise when required.…

For manufacturers, the ability to allow the key elements of the production process to communicate with each other will be one of the keys to unlocking the significant competitive advantage and growth potential promised by this ‘fourth industrial revolution’. This evolution to ICT (information and communications technology) means that connectivity is becoming an increasingly important issue. For this reason, the control and data-sharing solutions that characterise the next generation of digital machining will be based on connectivity and its close cousin, interoperability. Digital connectivity Certainly it is no overstatement to say that digital connectivity solutions will help companies to improve every aspect of the end-to-end production process – from design and production planning through machining to post-process analysis and intelligence. Enhanced connectivity and interoperability will open up new opportunities to improve productivity, profitability and security through better planning and decision-making, more optimised processes, lower levels of waste, increases in efficiency and the rapid identification and resolution of production issues. The ultimate aim is for machines,…

To gain a better understanding and appreciation of the opportunities involved, each of these ideas is explored below. The value of weight properties Today, the metal of choice in the 3D printing of parts is titanium. Its particular lightweight properties are important to the aviation and space industry. In a recent report by the US Department of Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office it was demonstrated that a 7% reduction could be achieved in overall aircraft weight simply by installing titanium parts produced using 3D processes. A 7% weight reduction is a highly significant figure; where most weight efficiencies only achieve one or two percentage points, a 7% saving will have a substantial impact on fuel costs, thereby reducing overall operational costs. The ability to…

The Robot Bike Co. story started in the late 1990s when Ed Haythornwaite, now the company’s CEO, met two other bike-mad students, Ben Farmer and Ben Arnold, at Bath University in the UK. “We spent far too much time riding bikes,” says Haythornwaite. “When we weren’t riding bikes, we were talking about bikes and how they could be made better than anything then on the market.” In 2012, Farmer had the ‘lightbulb’ moment, when he came up with the basis for the novel design that Robot Bike Co. is now producing. He took ideas from his background in the composites industry and from the world of additive manufacturing, and came up with the concept of using the two technologies to make the ‘ultimate’ bike that the friends had talked about when they were students. The new design uses a series of carbon fibre-reinforced tubes for the frames, which are joined by titanium lugs. This approach takes full advantage…

Steven Macdonald, CEO of Albins, tells a great story about the Bathurst 1000, the mecca of Australian motorsport. At the start of the race, every car in the starting grid has the same transmission in the back, a product that his company has been delivering for the Supercars contest since 2013. “As the red lights light up on the starter screen, the drivers sit, nervously anticipating the start,” says Macdonald. “The engines rev at 7,500rpm as they wait for those lights to go out. Then they drop the clutch, and power suddenly gets transferred through two shafts that we make, into that gearbox. The cars launch off the line, they reach 7,500rpm again, and the driver gets hold of the gear-knob and pulls. Once the load reaches about 15kg, the engine stops and the whole driveline relaxes; and that takes about 25-30 milliseconds. Once it relaxes, the change from one gear to the next takes about 12 milliseconds. Once it’s in the next gear, the…